Ratchet tool

ABSTRACT

A RATCHET TOOL HAVING A ROTATABLE HANDHOLD COUPLED WITH A SHAFT TELESCOPED IN A TUBULAR HANDLE. A ROD OF SPRING MATERIAL OFFSET RADIALLY FROM THE SHAFT AXIS PROJECTS FROM THE END OF THE SHAFT BETWEEN A PAIR OF INTERCONNECTED WEDGES TO MOVE THE LATTER TO CORRESPONDING DIRECTION CHANGING POSITIONS UPON MANUAL ROTATION OF THE HANDHOLD ABOUT ITS LONGITUDINAL AXIS.

M. P. RAINEY Sept. 28, 1971 RATCHET TOOL Filed Sept. 2, 1969 n 7 R R a R R N o w w 3 i M 3 oo B n on 2 m 0W N 2 3 e i 8 3 Nn 2 3 N in a ATTORNEY United States Patent ()1 ice 3,608,402 Patented Sept. 28, 1971 3,608,402 RATCHET TOOL Marsdon P. Rainey, Shawnee Mission, Kans., assignor to Bradley and Wharton, Kansas City, Mo. Filed Sept. 2, 1969, Ser. No. 854,378 Int. Cl. B25b 13/46 US. Cl. 8163.1 9 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A ratchet tool having a rotatable handhold coupled with a shaft telescoped in a tubular handle. A rod of spring material offset radially from the shaft axis projects from the end of the shaft between a pair of interconnected wedges to move the latter to corresponding direction changing positions upon manual rotation of the handhold about its longitudinal axis.

This invention relates to tools, and more particularly to a ratchet handle for socket wrenches or similar tools.

Ratchet handles for tools of this general kind have long been available. They are required by mechanics and workmen who must manipulate tools in cramped or relatively inaccessible locations where insufficient operatnig room is available for movement of tools not equipped with the ratchet feature. The ratchet handles have conventionally been provided with any of a variety of small levers or dials to be operated by the user in order to change the direction of effective movement of the tool dri-ver components of the handle. These levers have been located in various positions for operation by the workmans fingers. No matter how accessible they may be, however, manipulation of these levers or dials almost always requires use of the workmans free hand or else release of his grip on the ratchet handle.

Generally, the workman cannot conveniently remove his grip on the handle without losing the precise positioning of the tool which may be important to the operation in which the workman is engaged. The so-called free hand may be very vitally engaged in holding some other article necessary to the operation. The entire problem is aggravated by the restricted or cramped position often available to the workman and also by the presence of slippery oils and greases which frequent- 1y coat the tools and handles when the direction change is to be made.

Accordingly, it is the primary object of this invention to provide a novel tool ratchet handle constructed to permit a change in the direction of effective drive by a mere twist of the workmans wrist.

In the achievement of the foregoing object, it is also an object of this invention to provide structure to permit the change of drive direction without necessity for removal of the grip on the tool'handhold.

A further very important object of the present invention is to provide a rotary operated wrench handle mechanism which is extremely durable and which will permit use of auxiliary leverage expedients without adversely affecting the handle or the direction changing components.

Still another object of this invention is to provide ratchet mechanism which may be shifted to opposite operating direction conditions by rotary wrist action yet which employs dual wedge structure for increased durability and positive locking performance.

Another object of the invention is to provide an easily operated, high strength ratchet handle having detent and limit structure so that the user may easily and positively switch the direction govering components from one position to another even without visual contact with the handle.

A further object of the invention is to provide such a handle utilizing a plurality of relatively telescoped, rotatable handle parts to increase the strength of the handle and to maintain the cross-sectional diameter of the handle at an absolute minimum so that tubular cheaters or leverage increasing expedients may be readily employed with the handle.

These and other important objects of this invention will be further explained or will become apparent from the several drawing figures and from the specification and claims.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view, on a reduced scale, of a ratchet tool handle embodying the principles of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary top plan view of the handle, parts being broken away and shown in cross-section to reveal details of construction;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2, but showing the position of the components when the driver is locked against movement in one direction;

FIG. 4 is a vertical, longitudinal, cross-sectional view of the handle;

FIG. 5 is a vertical cross-sectional view through the handle housing, the driver and wedges appearing in elevation in neutral positions;

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 5, with the components in positions after slight axial rotation of the handhold; and

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 7-7 of FIG. 1.

A ratchet handle embodying the principles of this invention is broadly designated in FIG. 1 of the drawing by reference numeral 10 and includes a dish-shaped housing 12 having a flattened bottom 14 and a generally circular inner wall surface 16. Surface 16 tapers toward the bore 18 of an elongated transversely circular tube 20 which is integral at one end with housing 12. Tube 20 projects laterally from housing 12 and receives in telescoped relationship therewith an elongated, transversely circular solid shaft 22. A tubular member 24 is telescoped over the outermost end of tube 20 as illustrated in FIGS. 1. 4 and 7. Member 24 is integrally connected with shaft 22 by an end plate 26 which is, in turn, integrally connected with the outermost ends of member 24 and shaft 22 respectively.

A tool driver broadly designated 28 is mounted for rotation in housing 12 and includes a circular member 30 having an annular, outermost surface 32 provided with vertically extending corrugations as illustrated clearly in FIGS. 3 and 4. An upwardly extending cylindrical portion 34 is integral with member 30 and has a smooth outer bearing surface of smaller diameter than the diameter of member 30.

A transversely polygonal mounting stud 36 integral with portion 34 projects upwardly therefrom and is adapted to receive any suitable tool such as a socket wrench or the like.

The innermost surface of housing 12 adjacent the throat 38 presented by the converging ends of surface 16 are configured as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3 to present two pairs of cam surfaces, one pair being on either side of throat 38. Such configuration presents a first cam surface 40 and a second cam surface 42 at one side of throat 38 and a first cam surface 44 and a second cam surface 46 at the other side of throat 38 with all of the cam surfaces 40-46 facing generally toward the outer corrugated surface 32 of member 30. A first generally triangular wedge 48 is interposed between the surfaces 40 and 42 and the proximal surface 32 of member 30 while a second wedge 50 substantially identical to wedge 48 is interposed between surfaces 44 and 46 and surface 32 of member 30. It should be noted that the surface of each wedge 48 and 50 which faces member 30 is corrugated to complementally engage the corrugations of surface 32 while the remaining surfaces of the wedges 48 and 50 are substantially smooth for movement along the respective cam surfaces adjacent each wedge.

Each wedge 48 and 50' is provided with a small hole 52 and the projecting legs 54 of a U-shaped connecting member 56 extend into the holes 52 for interconnecting wedges 48 and 50. The member 56 extends across throat 38 and the side wall of housing 12 adjacent cam surfaces 42 and 44 is provided with intermediate longitudinally extending notches 58 and 60 respectively for accommodating member 56 and permitting relative movement of the member as will be more fully hereinafter described.

The end 62 of shaft has an elongated rod 64 mounted therein and projecting therefrom toward housing 12 as illustrated in FIGS. 2-4. Rod 64 is of yieldable material such as spring steel or the like and is disposed in radially offset relationship from the axis of rotation of shaft 22 so that the rod moves laterally with respect to such axis upon rotation of the shaft about its axis. The rod 64 normally extends generally parallel to the axis of shaft 22 and tube 20.

The tip end of rod 64 remote from shaft 22 projects beneath member 56 and between the two wedges 48 and 50. The tip end is adapted to engage either of the wedges for shifting the same in one direction or the other with respect to the directions of rotation of driver 28.

A spring and ball detent 66 is provided in shaft 22 and projects laterally from the surface thereof for cooperation with holes 68 in tube 20 to provide two working positions of relative rotation of member 24 and shaft 22 with respect to tube 20. In the embodiment illustrated, the working positions are approximately 180 apart. Manifestly, the detent 66 releasably secures the shaft and tube in the working positions yet permits ready rotation of the shaft to the alternate working position when desired.

Pin means 70 such as an Allen screw or the like is mounted in a threaded bore (not shown) in shaft 22 and projects through a transversely extending notch 72 (FIG. 4) in tube 22. The outer end of pin 70 is received through the side wall of tubular member 24. Notch 72 extends along a quadrant of the periphery of tube 22 corresponding substantially to the angular disposition between the two working positions for shaft 22 divided by holes 68. Thus, pin 70 may freely move along notch 72 between said working positions but engages the ends of notch 72 to restrict relative rotation between shaft 22 and tube 20 to substantially no greater distance than that between the working positions. Pin 70 also serves to prevent relative longitudinal movement between shaft 22 and tube 20. The pin 70 may be readily removed, however, to permit such relative longitudinal movement between the components for disassembly of the tool.

A cover plate 74 is releasably received in an upwardly facing, complementally configured notch 76 adjacent the upper rim of housing 12. Cover plate 74 serves to hold driver 28 in its proper position in the housing and a circular opening 78 in housing 74 cooperates with the bearing surface of portion 34 of driver 28 to permit rotation of the driver within the housing. Cover plate 74 may be press fitted or otherwise releasably secured on the housing to permit disassembly if desired.

In operation, driver 28 is free to rotate in its housing until the wedges 48 and 50 are moved to corresponding wedging positions which limit further rotation of driver 28. However, the wedges and their associated cam surfaces are so configured as to permit rotation of the driver in the opposite direction when its rotation is precluded in one direction. The rod 64 shifts the wedges 48 and 50 to their corresponding blocked positions.

Referring initially to FIG. 2, the wedges 48 and 50 have been illustrated in corresponding positions with neither of the corrugated surfaces of the wedges engaging the driver 28. With the wedges in these positions, the driver is free to rotate in either direction about the axis of the cylindrical portion 34 which is also concentric to member 30. Rotation of the handhold or tubular member 24 produces a corresponding relative rotation of shaft 22 in tube 20 and moves rod 64 on its path of travel across throat 38 by virtue of the eccentric positioning of rod 64- with respect to the axis of rotation. This movement of rod 64 causes the tip end of the rod to engage one or the other of the wedges 48 and 50. In FIG. 2, the components are illustrated after rod 64 has been moved to a position with its tip end engaging wedge 50. It is not contemplated that the wedge which is engaged by rod 64 need be shifted immediately a distance corresponding to the lateral movement of the rod. Rather, rod 64 is constructed of spring steel so that it presents a spring action which urges the engaged wedge in the desired direction. Manifestly, since the wedges are interconnected by member 56, they are both free to float together as a unit under the influence of the spring action.

If wedges 48 and 50 are not engaging driver 28, they will, of course, immediately respond to the spring action and move toward their respective cam surface 42 and 46. These cam surfaces are directed generally toward the corrugated surface 32 of member 30 so that continued rotation of the driver in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in FIGS. 2 and 3 is precluded. The configuration of the wedges and their cam surfaces result in an ever increasing binding action to positively prevent such counterclockwise direction as forces imparted to the driver urge rotation in the counterclockwise direction.

On the other hand, forces acting on the driver in a clockwise direction readily push the wedges away from this binding position against the action of rod 64 to permit relative rotation between the driver and housing in the opposite direction. The tool thus serves as a ratchet to permit relative rotation beween the housing and driver in one direction and to preclude such relative rotation (for driving a tool or the like) in the opposite direction.

When the mechanic desires to change the direction of effective drive between the housing and driver, he merely rotates handhold 24 which causes resultant rotation of shaft 22. The detent 66 cooperating with pin stops the relative rotation at the alternate position. Manifestly, such roation of shaft 22 shifts rod 64 laterally across throat 38 and into engagement with the other wedge 48. The wedges may not move immediately from their binding positions restricting relative rotation of the driver in a counterclockwise direction. The yieldable nature of rod 64 permits rotation of shaft 22 to the alternate working position, however, and insures that a spring force is imparted to the interconnected wedge assembly. The wedges quickly snap to their alternate positions adjacent cam surfaces 40 and 44 respectively under the influence of their spring biasing force just as soon as there is any slight initial rotation of driver 28 in a clockwise direction as viewed in FIGS. 2 and 3. It will be readily understood that the continued application of force tending to rotate driver 28 in a clockwise direction with respect to housing 12 serves to urge the wedges 48 and 50 toward the corrugated surfaces 32 of driver member 30 which substantially immediately precludes continued relative rotation in the clockwise direction. As previously explained, the wedges readily move away from their binding positions by virtue of the configurations of the wedges and their associated cam surfaces to permit such relative rotation in the counterclockwise direction.

The principles of this invention which permit the shifting of the wedge members toward or away from positions blocking driver movement in one direction while permitting movement in the opposite direction could obviously be applied to a construction which utilizes a single wedge. However, the construction in the embodiment selected for illustration which provides a pair of Wedges insures a greater strength of construction for withstanding the extreme forces which are often applied to tools of this kind. Not to be overlooked is the great strength pro vided by the tubular handle construction and the relatively small cross-sectional diameter of the handle by virtue of the telescoped relationship of the components. This construction permits the further telescoping of a leverage aid for selectively extending the length of the handle if desired.

The outer surface of the handhold portion of the handle represented by tubular member 24 may be knurled if desired to give the mechanic a better grip on the tool. The construction described above permits him to selectively change the direction of effective relative rotation between the housing and the projecting handle components and the driver by a mere twist of the wrist without any necessity for releasing his grip on the tool.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A ratchet handle for operating rotatable tools, said handle including:

a housing presenting a pair of cam surfaces;

a rotatable tool driver in the housing;

an elongated handhold projecting laterally from the housing and comprising a tube, and a shaft telescoped in the tube;

means mounting said shaft for rotation about its longitudinal axis; movable means comprising a wedge operably associated with said driver for restricting relative rotation of the driver in either direction about the axis of rotation of the driver upon engagement of said cam surfaces by said wedge, said wedge having a first position thereof to restrict rotation of the driver in one direction, and a second position thereof to restrict rotation of the driver in the opposite direction; and

spring means operably coupled with said shaft and said wedge respectively for selectively moving the latter to one or the other of said positions responsive to the direction of rotation of said shaft about said longitudinal axis.

2. The invention of claim 1, wherein is included a tubular member secured to said shaft, the outer end of said tube projecting into said tubular member.

3. The invention of claim 2, wherein the outer surface of said tubular member is knurled to facilitate manual gripping of the handle. 1

4. The invention of claim 1, wherein is provided a pair of interconnected wedges and wherein said housing includes cam surfaces for each wedge respectively, said spring including an elongated, yieldable rod projecting from the proximal end of said shaft generally parallel with the longitudinal axis of the shaft and spaced radially from said longitudinal axis, said rod extending between the wedges, whereby rotation of the shaft moves the rod into engagement with a corresponding wedge to urge said wedges in the direction of movement of the rod.

5. The invention of claim 1, wherein is provided detent means between the tube and said shaft for releasablv holding the shaft at locations corresponding to each of said positions for said movable means.

6. In a ratchet device for operating rotatable tools. said device including a housing, a tool driver in the housing and rotatable relative thereto, a pair of cam surfaces in the housing. and wedge means in the housing and shiftable between said surfaces to restrict relative rotation of the driver to one direction when the wedge means is adjacent one of said surfaces and to the opposite direction when the wedge means is adjacent the other of said surfaces,

an elongated handle comprising a tube rigidly secured to the housing and projecting laterally therefrom, an elongated shaft telescoped in said tube, and a 1'0- tatable tubular handhold adapted to be gripped by a user of the device, said handhold being ragidly secured to the shaft and telescoped over the outer ends of said shaft and said tube;

means mounting said handhold for rotation about an axis extending at an angle from the axis of rotation of said driver;

spring means operably coupled with said handhold for movement by the latter along a path of travel disposed for engagement of said wedge means by the spring means upon rotation of the handhold about said axis, said path being disposed to cause biasing of the wedge means by the spring means toward either one or the other of said cam surfaces responsive to the direction of rotation of the handhold, whereby the user may selectively vary the direction of permitted relative rotation of the driver by rotating the handhold without removal of said grip from the handhold.

7. The invention of claim 6, wherein said spring means includes an elongated, yieldable rod carried by shaft and projecting into the housing, said rod being movable upon rotation of the shaft for biasing the wedge means toward or away from either of said surfaces.

8. The invention of claim 7, wherein said wedge means includes a pair of separate wedges, and wherein is included means interconnecting said wedges for simultaneous movement, said rod being disposed to extend between said wedges.

9. A ratchet handle for operating a rotatable tool in either of two directions with a single hand of an operator, said handle comprising:

a housing;

a rotatable tool driver in the housing;

an elongated shaft projecting laterally from the housing, having its longitudinal axis normal to the axis of rotation of the tool;

a tubular member telescoped over said shaft presenting an elongated handhold adapted to be gripped by the closed hand of the operator, said member being mounted on the shaft for rotation about its longitudinal axis;

movable means operably associated with said driver for restricting relative rotation of the driver in either direction about the axis of rotation of the driver, said movable means having a first position to restrict rotation of the driver in one direction, and a second position to restrict rotation of the driver in the opposite direction;

said member being coupled with said movable means for selectively moving the latter to one or the other of said positions upon rotation of the gripping hand of the operator whereby the direction of rotation of the tool is changed during uninterrupted operation of the tool.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 685,698 10/1901 Sprague 8l-63 2,058,855 10/ 1936 Chapman 8l-63X 2,957,377 10/1960 Hare 81-632 3,019,682 2/1962 Hare 81-61X 3,269,496 8/1966 Kilness 8163.2X

FOREIGN PATENTS 809,746 10/ 1 Germany 8162 JAMES L. JONES, 111., Primary Examiner 

